This book is part of the Laugh and Learn series, books to help kids get through life's rough spots. This one goes through various aspects of bullying such as what it is, what to do if you are a bully, how to help your friends if they are bullied, cyberbullying, myths and more. It is written for older children (age 8 and up) or adults, not very young children. It would definitely start some excellent discussions in a group of children. There are some very practical suggestions given that could be put to immediate use. The back of the book has some great suggestions of how to use the book, further resources and websites for parents, teachers and children. This is a great book to be used in schools and with groups of children who have been bullied or have witnessed bullying.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This book addresses what I consider essential components to address bullying: including a message that the target of bullying is not at fault for being the victim of abuse, a dispelling of the myth or outdated belief that bullying is a normal part of childhood and an emphasis on the power of bystanders to defuse the bully’s power. Complete review at http://cynthiaparkhill.blogspot.com/2016/04/bullying-is-pain-in-brain.html ( )

There are so many things i liked about this book. It was like a do's and don'ts manual and a lot of beneficial information. One element that i did not enjoy , though, was how it almosy encouraged kids to stay indoors to avoid a bully. That doesn't seem right to me.

Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain by Trevor Romain. Epiphany library section 9A: Juvenile (K-5th), Religion and Values. This wonderful book for kids pestered by bullies tells them how to become bully-proof. As readers laugh along with Trevor’s jokes and cartoons, they learn tried and true ways of dealing with bullies. Chapters include: Why Bullies are Such a Pain, What You Can Do About Bullies, Five Myths About Bullies, Do’s and Don’ts of Dealing With Bullies, Are YOU a Bully?, and A Message to Teachers and Parents. There is also a resource list of helpful books, websites and organizations where kids and their parents can obtain additional information about bullying.
Bullied children need to know they are not alone and that being bullied is not their fault. And bullies need to know that they can change their bad behavior and learn how to make friends in healthy ways.
Schools are required by law to be bully-free places where all children feel safe to learn and be who they are. No child should have to go to school afraid of being attacked physically, verbally or psychologically. Victimized children need to know that if they report bullying, something will be done about it. And bullies need to understand that their behavior won’t be tolerated. Bullying is no joke, as anguished kids and their parents know. Bullies don’t magically go away; assuming that they will go away just gives them more power. Kids, teachers, parents and school staff must all work together to eliminate bullying from schools and other places where kids interact – playgrounds, parks, malls, and so on. This book and “bully-proofing schools” programs can help focus on and alleviate this problem. I don’t know if it can be eliminated all together, but laser-like attention to this problem is a great step forward. ( )

Although this book covers an important topic, I found it to alternate between being too serious and too whimsical. I’m not sure a pre-teen would appreciate the book or its approach. One positive note is that the book contains numerous resources for parents and teachers including books, organizations and websites. ( )